Prof. Dr. Lazar Lazić • Prof. Dr. Vladimir Stojanović The Regional ecotourism strategy – Special Nature Reserve Slano kopovo and Nádastó Leisure Park Rehab NatCult Heritage | http://rncheritage.net Novi Bečej, 2020. Content Preface . 1 Introductory Considerations: Importance, principles and educational role of ecotourism . 2 The place and role of Ecotourism Development Strategy in sustainable development of border regions of Hungary and Serbia . 5 Geographical location, boundaries and size . 6 Natural characteristics . 7 Municipality Novi Bečej . 7 Geomorphologic characteristics . 7 Climatic characteristics . 8 Hydrological characteristics . 8 Flora and fauna . 10 Soil characteristics . 14 Sandorfalva . 14 Geomorphologic and hydrological characteristics. 17 Climatic characteristics . 18 Flora and fauna . 18 Cultural and historical values . 19 Municipality Novi Bečej . 19 Architectural cultural goods . 19 Religious cultural goods . 22 Archeological cultural goods . 27 Museum settings . 28 Other cultural goods . 30 Sandorfalva . 31 Cultural and Historical Values near Sandorfalva . 33 Material base . 35 Novi Bečej . 35 Sandorfalva . 36 Market . 37 SWOT analysis . 38 Strategic guidelines . 39 Vision . 39 Image . 39 Selection of strategic strongholds . 41 Integrisani ciljevi . 43 Benchmarking analysis . 44 Preface cotourism is a component of the sustainable development and one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry, focused on nature conservation, social and economic development. It tries to Eraise ecological consciousness by exploring nature and ecosystems and by providing natural type ex- periences. Ecotourism helps in development of local communities by providing the alternate source of live- lihood which is more sustainable. The Regional ecotourism strategy – Special Nature Reserve Slano kopovo and Nádastó Leisure Park is one of the results of two years project „Rehabilitation of common natural and cultural heritage for future development of the region“ (HUSRB/1602/31/0128), co-financed by the European Union through the IPA programme. The main goal of the project is to use the values and potentials of protected areas for the devel- opment of ecotourism, as well as the revival of tourism, economy and the local community along with the strengthening of cross-border partnership. All project activities can be divided into four parts. One of them includes activities oriented towards the establishment and development of a tourist destination – seminars and training for professionals, development of the ecotourism strategy of the region, elaboration of a study on the rehabilitation of Lake Nadas. The first part of this strategy contains the analysis of all the resources which are important for “Slano kop- ovo” and “Sandorfalva”, especially in the context of ecological education and ecotourism. The subject of this analysis are natural and cultural resources, accommodation and services market. The second part elabo- rates the strategic guidelines that should lead to the fulfilment of the objectives set in this project regarding the determination of the ecotourism development vision and the selection of strategic strongpoints. Rehab NatCult Heritage | http://rncheritage.net 1 Introductory Considerations: Importance, principles and educational role of ecotourism cotourism is said to be a paradigm for the sus- ural phenomena and processes. Thus, ecotourism tainable development of tourism, while this, emphasizes education about natural phenomena as Eas a form of tourism, is linked to ethical prin- well as their interpretation. Such activities should ciples in environmental protection. Sustainability not leave the possibility of negative impacts. is one of the major development topics in tourism. Ecotourism is mainly developed in protected ar- The original, healthy and attractive environment is eas, which have been formed in order to protect bi- one of the basic resources of tourism, so its protec- odiversity, natural and cultural goods. Protected ar- tion is one of the basic tasks of tourism profession- eas are the best way to protect species, ecosystems als and workers. Sustainable tourism is most often and genetic variability as integral parts of biodiver- seen as an application of the idea of sustainable de- sity. The purpose of protected areas, from the very velopment in the tourism sector, so it follows that it beginning of their establishment, is also reflected is a form of tourism that meets the tourism needs of in the needs of tourists and individuals of a socie- present generations, without the possibility of jeop- ty. The value of their tourist attractiveness is con- ardizing the needs of future generations. It is a form tained in the assessment that they are must-vis- of tourism that wisely conserves and uses resources it destinations. From the above it follows that two to maintain its long-term sustainability. Sustaina- important functions of a protected area are pre- ble tourism insists on minimizing negative impacts cisely nature protection and tourism development, and maximizing positive impacts, which is an in- as well as a number of different influences arising creasingly challenging task given the massive devel- from this relationship. By their nature, they can be opment of tourism in the second half of the 20th positive and negative, and in addition they can be century. categorized within the concept of sustainable devel- Ecotourism is based on the principle of unspent opment, based on three principles. The first is the use of resources (e.g. photo travels, bird watching, principle of ecological sustainability, which enables walking, educational tours) and does not include development to be in harmony with ecological pro- activities such as hunting or fishing. As a form of cesses and biological diversity. The principle of so- tourism and a tourism principle, it is related to na- cial and cultural sustainability follows, which aligns ture-based tourism activities in which tourists’ mo- tourism development with the traditional values of​​ tivation is initiated by observing and exploring nat- local communities. And the last is the principle of Tourism – Protected area Ecological impacts Social impacts Economic impacts Positive Negative Positive Negative Positive Negative impact impact impact impact impact impact Figure 1. Impacts of tourism on the protected area 2 Rehab NatCult Heritage | http://rncheritage.net Table 1. Positive and negative impacts of tourism in the development of tourism of protected area The benefit The damage Protecting landscapes, wildlife and ecosystems . Poorly steered management can turn recreation and tourism into a threat to landscapes and the living world, which is why protected areas are established . Provision of recreational facilities . Also, protection and The status of a protected area further draws attention scientific research can be funded from service billing . to the space within its boundaries . This attracts a large number of visitors and creates crowds . Employment opportunities for locals inhabitants and The local population can be excluded from numerous involvement in protection, thus avoiding negative impacts . activities in their traditional territory, including nature protection . economic sustainability, which ensures the econom- of nature (education, interpretation boards, visitor ic efficiency of management. centers). Tourism can have a variety of positive impacts on The nature of the negative impact of tourism on the protected area and all the natural values of the the protected area is diverse and can be observed in area, then on tourists, who can have multiple ben- the short and long term. The role of protected areas efits from such a visit, and finally on the social and is to provide protection for species, habitats, ecosys- economic characteristics of local communities in tems and landscapes, so understanding the negative the direct environment. impact of tourism is crucial. Protected area manag- Ecotourism economic revenues in protected are- ers must recognize such impacts in order to avoid, as highlight several important topics: mitigate and reduce them. • generating economic profits through tourism Different types of tourism activities can cause (tourists spend money in protected areas or different impacts on the geographical and biologi- on related activities - tickets, accommodation, cal characteristics of protected areas. The construc- guide, food and drink; intermediaries can also tion of tourism infrastructure, including accommo- benefit - tour operators, travel agencies or e- dation facilities (for example, camps, visitor centers, booking, merchants and the like); etc.), tourist educational trails, roads, supports the • the way that the protected area manager uses development of tourism on the one hand, but threat- tourism revenue (protected area managers can ens the protected area on the other. These factors re- use tourism revenue to finance nature protec- sult in devastation of resources, energy consump- tion activities); tion, habitat destruction, extinction of wildlife. In • private sector influence (this sector can pro- addition, the type of habitat and the degree of its vide the capital investment necessary for nor- sensitivity to the disturbance also affects the over- mal functioning of tourism, provided that the all extent of the impact. For example, over-trekking manager of the protected area permits com- in a rocky area will have a smaller negative impact mercial tourism); on vegetation than is the case in wetlands. Final- •